Mediastinum Flashcards
What is the mediastinum?
The central component of the thoracic activity, situated between the lungs.
What does the mediastinum consist of?
Hollow visceral structures which are joined by loose connective tissue.
What does the mediastinum contain?
All the thoracic structures expect the lungs.
Where does the mediastinum extend from?
Extends from the superior thoracic aperture to the diaphragm and from the sternum and costal cartilages to the bodies of thoracic vertebrae.
Where does the superior mediastinum extend from?
Inferiorly to the superior thoracic aperture to the horizontal plane. It passes through the junction of T4 and T5 vertebrae posteriorly.
What does the superior mediastinum contain?
The roots of the great vessels, the oesophagus and the trachea.
What is the sternal angle?
The joint between the manubrium (top part) and the body (middle part) of the sternum.
If you draw a horizontal plane from the sternal angle which vertebrae is it level with?
It’s level between T4 and T5
What is are the 3 subdivisions of the inferior mediastinum?
Anterior
Middle- significant because it contains the heart.
Posterior
Where does the inferior mediastinum extend from and to?
Extends inferiorly from the sternal angle to the diaphragm.
Where do the phrenic nerve and vagus nerve lie in respect to the root of the lung?
The phrenic nerve lies in front of the root of the lung and the vagus nerve lies behind.
Does the pulmonary artery lie above or below the pulmonary veins?
Above.
